Since last playing for the Lakers in 2012, Bynum has played in 52 games over two years. He missed the entire 2013 season due to injury after being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Dwight Howard deal.

In 2014, he signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers but was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team and was then released before making his way to the Indiana Pacers where he played in two games before being shut down with yet another injury.

Bynum enjoyed success with the Lakers, averaging 11.5 points and 7.7 rebounds in seven seasons. His best season came in 2011-2012 when he put up 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds, earning him an all-star appearance.

The biggest issue pertaining to Bynum was his ability to stay healthy. Constant injuries derailed his career and while he played 82 games in 2006-2007, he was never able to play more than 65 games in a full-season.

It does bring up the interesting scenario in which he could return to Los Angeles for cheap. With the Lakers roster situation being as is, they will look to fill out the roster and while an injury risk, Bynum could be a player the team adds on a very reasonable deal. While his attitude has also been an issue, it should be noted that Kobe Bryant started to trust Bynum more in games and also praised the center’s personality:

“Yea, yea. He’s got kind of this f— it attitude, you know what I mean,” Kobe said. “Which is great, it’s one of the things that makes him a great player. It won’t bother him at all…. Andrew is a big boy, he can handle it better than most.”

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Pau Gasol has been a steady rock. Ever since the infamous trade that shipped out Kwame Brown and others for him back in the 2007-2008 season, Gasol has thrived as the second star behind Kobe Bryant. However, age and ever-changing roles for the past three years have seemingly lacerated Gasol to the point where he may never return to his original and consistent form in a Lakers uniform.

Sports Illustrated reporter Chris Mannix recently wrote about Gasol in regards to what he has withstood and what may come next,

“I want to be in a team that is going to be built to win a championship,” Gasol said. “That’s my top priority. Money won’t be the main priority. Length and money are factors, but we’ll see. Until I know all the options, I won’t be able to measure them. But we’re getting close to the end of my career. I want to be in a good situation. It’s an important decision to make.”

Gasol’s contract expires at the end of this season and it seems as if the Lakers may be looking past him to move forward. Players like Gasol are a rarity in today’s NBA in terms of skillset. His numbers have gone down in the past three seasons and there is no debating that he has lost a step. Despite that, he still can be extremely effective when playing within a system where he feels comfortable. When Mike D’Antoni has slowed the offensive pace this year Gasol has performed better both offensively and defensively. When the offensive pace has increased, his play has suffered as his body is unable to withstand that much movement. Even if his skill set is being used correctly in LA, teams across the league are anticipating the chance to capitalize.

“There are a couple thoughts out there on Pau,” says an Eastern Conference executive. “Some people say he is worn out, that he is too far past his prime to really help a contender. There are others that think that LA, that environment the past two season, that style of play has destroyed him and if he goes somewhere else, plays with a different coach, he might be rejuvenated. I could see someone who thinks the latter paying him $10 million a year.”

Another factor that has contributed to Gasol’s decline is the numerous role changes he has had to undergo in the past four seasons. After winning multiple championships he was forced to accept a lesser offensive role to then developing Andrew Bynum. With no complaints he accepted the role and played within himself and the system. Next he was almost traded to the Houston Rockets until then Commissioner David Stern nixed the Chris Paul deal. His role in Houston certainly would have been similar to his championship one had he gone, yet he remained in Los Angeles and became even more humble having to return to the team that signed off on trading him.

While the trade to Houston did not go through he still had to accept a lesser role when the Lakers traded for center Dwight Howard and point guard Steve Nash. At this point he had gone from a championship winning, secondary role with the team to a fourth wheel who would be incorporated only on occasion. All with minimal complaints.

Gasol’s frustrations this season may not make Lakers fans content but nonetheless they make sense. After giving your all to an organization and displaying minimal signs of frustration, it is only a matter of time before it all becomes too much to bear. If Gasol ultimately decides to leave it would be a definite loss to the Lakers organization. He has brought consistency, a humble attitude and personality, as well as monumental contribution in multiple championship runs. However, in staying, Gasol would again add testament to his character by proving that he is more reliable than what you previously believed.

After 16 NBA Championships and 31 Western Conference Titles, the Lakers have been one of the most storied and successful franchises in NBA history. From the eras of West, Chamberlain, Kareem, Magic, and Kobe, there have been countless record-breaking performances and memorable games that have added to Lakers glory. Let’s take a look back at some notable moments for the purple and gold, from the week of March 9-15, over their 66-year history.

March 9, 1988

Pat Riley got his 400th career coaching win in a 104-99 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Riley reached the 400-win mark in just 540 games, making him the fastest coach to do so in NBA history.

March 9, 2010

Kobe Bryant hit a game-winning fade-away jump shot over Antoine Wright with 1.9 seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Lakers over the Toronto Raptors 109-107 at the Staples Center. Bryant, who scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, finished the game with 32 points. This victory ended a three-game losing streak for Los Angeles, which hadn’t lost four straight since April 2007. Andrew Bynum chipped in with 22 points for the Lakers, while Pau Gasol added 17 points and nine rebounds in the win.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images

March 10, 1987

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar set an NBA record for most-ever personal fouls committed, after fouling Denver’s Danny Schayes during the first quarter of an eventual Lakers victory over the Nuggets. With this foul, Abdul-Jabbar raised his career total to 4,194, which put him one ahead of Elvin Hayes, the previous all-time leader. Abdul-Jabbar finished his career with 4,657 fouls, which still stands atop the NBA’s all-time list.

March 12, 2005

Kobe Bryant hit a game-winning jump shot over Keith Bogans with 0.9 seconds left in the game to propel the Lakers passed the Bobcats 117-116 in Charlotte. Bryant scored 21 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, on 8-for-12 shooting from the field. He added four rebounds and nine assists in the win. This victory gave Los Angeles its first consecutive road wins of the 2004-2005 season.

March 13, 1992

Chick Hearn broadcasted his 2,500th consecutive game for the Lakers, when they played the Cavaliers at the Richfield Coliseum in Cleveland. Hearn’s record-breaking streak spanned 3,338 games from 1965 to 2001.

After 16 NBA Championships and 31 Western Conference Titles, the Lakers have been one of the most storied and successful franchises in NBA history. From the eras of West, Chamberlain, Kareem, Magic, and Kobe, there have been countless record-breaking performances and memorable games that have added to Lakers glory. Let’s take a look back at some notable moments for the purple and gold, from the week of January 26-February 1, over their 66-year history.

January 29, 1980

Norm Nixon set a then-NBA record for most minutes played in a single game with 64, when the Lakers fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers 154-153 in quadruple overtime. Nixon’s record was tied in 1987 by Sleepy Floyd of the Golden State Warriors, and later broken by Dale Ellis of the Seattle SuperSonics in 1989, when he played for 69 minutes in a five-overtime game against Milwaukee.

January 30, 1996

Magic Johnson shocked the NBA with his return to the league after having been retired from playing basketball since he announced that he had contracted HIV in 1992. In his first game back on the floor with the Lakers, Johnson scored 19 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out 10 assists to help the Lakers defeat the Golden State Warriors 128-118 at the Great Western Forum. At 36 years old, Johnson played the final 32 games of the 1995-96 season, while averaging 14 points, seven rebounds, and six assists during that stretch. Johnson was an assistant coach with the Lakers in 1994 before returning to the hardwood. He retired from playing for good in 1996.

Dick Raphael /NBAE/Getty Images

January 31, 2010

Kobe Bryant hit a game-winning shot over Ray Allen with 7.3 seconds left in regulation to lift the Lakers over the Boston Celtics 90-89 at the TD Garden. This victory marked Los Angeles’ fourth consecutive win, and third straight against Boston. Despite trailing by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter, the Lakers rallied behind Bryant and their big men down low, outscoring Boston 18-0 on points in the paint in the fourth quarter. Bryant finished the game with 19 points, while Andrew Bynum also dropped 19 points and collected 11 rebounds. Pau Gasol added 11 points and 11 rebounds. With his 19 points, Kobe Bryant moved within 28 points of Jerry West’s all-time Lakers’ record of 25,192, for most points scored in franchise history.

After 16 NBA Championships and 31 Western Conference Titles, the Lakers have been one of the most storied and successful franchises in NBA history. From the eras of West, Chamberlain, Kareem, Magic, and Kobe, there have been countless record-breaking performances and memorable games that have added to Lakers glory. Let’s take a look back at some notable moments for the purple and gold, from the week of January 12-18, over their 66-year history.

January 12, 2006

Kobe Bryant hit a game-winning jump shot over LeBron James with 8.6 seconds left in regulation to lift the Lakers to a 99-98 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Staples Center. Despite a sore right wrist, Bryant scored the final six points down the stretch for Los Angeles and finished with a team-high 27 points in the win. Lamar Odom chipped in with 20 points, while Smush Parker added 12.

January 14, 2008

On a night without star center Andrew Bynum, Kobe Bryant picked up the slack for the Lakers, as he hit a game-winning jump shot with 4.3 seconds left in overtime to propel Los Angeles over the Seattle SuperSonics 123-121 in Seattle. Bryant scored a season-best and game-high 48 points, marking his 87th career 40-point game, which put him one behind former Laker Elgin Baylor for third all-time in NBA history. This game marked the seventh straight win for the Lakers, which was their longest winning streak since March 2004.

Ken Levine/Getty Images

January 17, 1968

The Lakers won their first game at the Great Western Forum, otherwise known as Mecca West. Jerry West led the scoring attack for Los Angeles as he dropped 39 points in a 125-116 victory over Wilt Chamberlain’s Philadelphia 76ers. Gail Goodrich added 29 points, while Elgin Baylor contributed 18 in the win. The Forum was home to six Lakers NBA championships from 1967-1999.

January 17, 1994

As a result of the damages caused by the 6.7 magnitude Northridge earthquake in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, the Great Western Forum was closed. Thus, a game between the Lakers and Sacramento Kings at the Forum was postponed. The Clippers were also forced to postpone two of their home games. The Northridge earthquake, which killed 60 people and injured more than 7,000, is one of the worst earthquakes to ever hit southern California.

January 18, 1960

The Minneapolis Lakers survived a plane crash during a treacherous blizzard that forced an emergency landing in a small field in Carroll, Iowa. The crash came as a result of an electrical failure within the plane. Unbelievably, the team avoided potential disaster as no one was hurt. In 2010, to honor the 50th anniversary of the miracle that took place in Carroll, Iowa, the Lakers donated $25,000 towards the building of an outdoor basketball court on the very spot the plane landed.

January 18, 1972

Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers hit a 20-foot buzzer-beater to lift the Western Conference All-Stars over the Eastern Conference team in front of his hometown crowd at the Great Western Forum. West scored 13 points in 27 minutes of action, en route to being named All-Star Game MVP.

Mon., 9:50 PM PST — The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Andrew Bynum has been traded to the Chicago Bulls for Luol Deng, effectively ending the possibility of a Bynum-Gasol deal. Pau Gasol remains a Laker for the time being, with his name sure to emerge in trade rumors as the February 20th NBA Trade Deadline approaches.

Mon., 1:11 PM PST – ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne provides an update on the ongoing talks between the Lakers and Cavaliers–now in an “old-fashioned stare down.”

Although there was an unofficial deadline Sunday for the Andrew Bynum trade, due to his contract becoming guaranteed on January 7th, Shelburne explains theoretically the trade can still happen Tuesday if teams either waive physicals or get them done quickly.

Sun., 7:45 PM PST — Ramona Shelburne reports that the Lakers and Cavaliers failed to reach a deal by the end of Sunday’s deadline. Talks are expected to continue as the Cavs weigh other deals.

Latest update w/ @WindhorstESPN. Cavs-Lakers failed to reach a deal by end of the weekend. Talks expected continue as Cavs weigh other deals

Sun., 6:30 PM PST — Pau Gasol is in the starting lineup for the Lakers against the Denver Nuggets. It looks like the Cavaliers’ Sunday deadline will come and go with no deal in place.

Sun., 1:30 PM PST – Fox Sports Ohio’s Sam Amico reports the Lakers asked for the Cavaliers’ first-round pick, offered to swap first rounders, and also asked about Anderson Varejao. A deal has still not been met, despite Sunday’s “deadline.”

According to USA Today’s Sam Amick, the Cavaliers have put nothing more than Bynum and a second-round draft pick on the table so far.

According to a person with knowledge of the talks between the two teams, the only asset Cleveland has offered as of Saturday night is a second-round pick, and that won’t be enough to get this deal done.

Sun., 10:00 AMPST – After Saturday night’s premature news break by Rick Schwartz, Pau Gasol remains a Los Angeles Laker for the time being. Schwartz reported late Saturday night that Gasol had been traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for former teammate Andrew Bynum.

As of now, Gasol is still a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. But, according to earlier ESPN reports, the Cavaliers hope to have a Bynum deal in place and finalized by Sunday.

A trade still may be coming, and if the deal does go through, the Lakers are expected to waive Bynum before his contract becomes fully guaranteed on January 7th in order to get below the luxury tax threshold.

The Lakers and Cavaliers had been negotiating throughout the past week, with the Lakers looking to acquire an asset in addition to Bynum’s contract. This deal will save the Lakers in excess of $20 million dollars while helping the Cavaliers push for the playoffs with Gasol.

If the trade is to be executed, at least one more Cavaliers player would have to be involved to make the salaries match up.

Stay tuned to LakerNation.com for the latest on this developing story!

According to the report, the Cavaliers hope to have a Bynum deal in place and finalized by this Sunday. The Cavaliers want to execute a trade by Sunday so that it can be completed ahead of Tuesday’s deadline for Bynum’s contract to become fully guaranteed—trades need 48 hours to be finalized so players can have physicals.

Sources say the Lakers are seeking a package in return for Gasol that would include a young player or a draft pick.

A Gasol-for-Bynum trade would certainly help the Lakers escape the luxury tax and, more important than the $20 million in instant savings, the Lakers would be easing the pressure of going into the repeater tax in either 2015 or ’16. If a team is in the luxury tax in four out of any five years, it triggers the repeater tax.

Whether Bynum returns to Laker Land, or Gasol dodges yet another trade rumor, it sounds like a resolution is coming on Sunday, one way or the other.

Before every Laker fan figuratively jumps off a bridge at the sight of the title, it’s not what it sounds like.

The Cleveland Cavaliers recently suspended center Andrew Bynum for one game, and while there have been many rumors surrounding the cause for Bynum’s suspension, the Cavs GM, Chris Grant, released a statement saying the suspension was for conduct detrimental to the team. Cleveland seems to have lost patience with Bynum and is pursuing options to end their experimental run with the 26 year old center. Bynum is currently on a non-guaranteed contract worth $12.25 million that doesn’t become fully guaranteed until January 7, 2014. The Cavs are mulling over the decision to waive Bynum before that January 7 deadline, or trade him if they can find any suitors. That’s where the Lakers come in.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne reported late Monday night that a possible Pau Gasol-for-Andrew Bynum trade was being discussed. Now, again, keep calm everyone. A Gasol/Bynum swap doesn’t necessarily mean the Lakers are looking forward to reuniting with their former first round pick. Bynum’s non-guaranteed contract may be valuable to the Lakers. If the Lakers were to trade for Bynum, they can turnaround and waive him before his non-guaranteed contract becomes fully guaranteed on January 7. By swapping and dropping Gasol and Bynum, the Lakers could save over $20 million in salaries and luxury taxes, that could be beneficial in the team’s long term plans.

Shelburne tweeted that the Cavs have been pursing a trade for Pau Gasol since last summer:

The Cavs have been after Gasol since this past summer, when they had extensive discussions that ended when Dwight Howard signed with Houston

The question now is if the Lakers would be willing to part ways with Pau Gasol. The Lakers were reportedly fielding offers for Gasol earlier this season, when he expressed frustration with his role in Coach D’Antoni’s offense. Gasol is in the final year of his contract and is earning $19 million this season—his future with the Lakers may be uncertain, but Shelburne reports that the Lakers may be unwilling to part ways with Gasol unless they receive some considerable value in return:

The Lakers are reluctant to part Gasol in any trade without receiving assets of some value in return. Bulls reluctant to trade Deng, at all

Since 1949, the Lakers have played on Christmas Day 39 times, with a 21-18 record over that stretch. The Lakers playing on Christmas Day has been a staple within the NBA over the years. This Christmas will mark the 15th straight year that the Lakers have been in action on Christmas Day. With a win against the Miami Heat at the Staples Center, the Lakers would tie the New York Knicks for the most Christmas Day victories (22) in NBA history. Let’s take a look back at some notable Christmas Day moments for the purple and gold over their 66-year history.

December 25, 1949

The Lakers played their first ever Christmas Day game when they hosted and defeated the Ft. Wayne Pistons 72-58 in Minneapolis. This season marked the Lakers’ second season in the NBA, during which they would win the franchise’s first NBA title.

December 25, 1963

The Lakers beat the Knicks 134-126 at Madison Square Garden in their first ever Christmas Day meeting with New York. Los Angeles was led by Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, who dropped 47 and 27 points, respectively. It would take 49 more years for the Lakers and Knicks to meet again on Christmas Day.

December 25, 1999

Shaquille O’Neal scored 32 points and collected 11 rebounds to lead the Lakers to a victory in their first Christmas Day game since 1996. Los Angeles defeated the defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs 99-93 in the first ever Christmas Day game at the Staples Center. Glen Rice added 25 points for the Lakers, while Kobe Bryant chipped in with 18.

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

December 25, 2001

In this rematch of the 2001 NBA Finals, the Lakers rallied from a 13-point deficit to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 88-82 at the Staples Center. With Kobe Bryant struggling from the field and Shaquille O’Neal out with an injury, Los Angeles was led by an unlikely hero, Samaki Walker, who scored a season-high 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Allen Iverson dropped 31 points in the loss.

December 25, 2007

After five straight Christmas Day losses, the Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns 122-115 at the Staples Center. Andrew Bynum scored a then-career-high 28 points and collected 12 rebounds. Kobe Bryant led Los Angeles in scoring with 38 points on the day, while shooting 60% from the field. Bryant surpassed Tom Chambers to move into 30th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with his 31st point of the game.

December 28, 2008

The Lakers snapped Boston’s 19-game winning streak, while also avenging their NBA Finals loss from six months before, when they defeated the Celtics 92-83 on Christmas Day at the Staples Center. With the victory, Phil Jackson recorded his 1,000th career win as an NBA head coach, a plateau he reached faster than any other coach in NBA history. Kobe Bryant paced the Lakers with 27 points, while Pau Gasol added 20. This Laker victory sent the then-surging Celtics into a 2-6 slide over their next eight games and helped solidify Los Angeles’ position at the top of the NBA standings.

December 25, 2012

Kobe Bryant set an NBA record when he played in his 15th consecutive Christmas Day game. Bryant broke his own record of 14 straight Christmas Day games, which he set the year before, and further surpassed the previous record of 13 held by Earl Monroe, Shaquille O’Neal, and Dolph Schayes. The Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 100-94 behind Bryant’s 34 points at the Staples Center. On this day, Bryant also eclipsed Oscar Robertson as the NBA’s all-time leading Christmas Day scorer with 383 points.

Andrew Bynum ladies and gentlemen. If he is not making the headlines for his hairdos, racing around in Ferrari’s, bowling, or sitting out an entire NBA season then everything must be okay, right?

6 weeks ago Bynum had orthroscopic surgery, again, on both of his knees. That surgery ended his 2012-2013 season as a Philadelphia 76er, one in which he never played a single game in. You would figure that with his knees being operated on recently and his name still be a lightning rod for critics he would rest up and prepare for the 2013-2014 season. No, not really. As Zach Harper at CBS reported, Bynum was dancing the night away in Spain on his annual European off season trip.

In a year of many hairdos for the Philadelphia 76ers‘ center but zero minutes on the court, he collected a big paycheck and made his upcoming free agency even more confusing for potential bidders.

But anyone hoping to ink him to a big contract might want to check out this video. Bynum is apparently in Madrid, he’s dancing, and he’s moving like a guy that can cha-cha his way to a max deal.

Remember way back when The Lakers traded their star center Andrew Bynum to Philadelphia in the three way trade that landed Los Angeles Dwight Howard? Of course we

PhotoCredit:David Maialetti:Philly.com

do, how could anyone forget? Well, despite what many LA fans think about Howard’s sub-par play thus far, it’s still better than that of former Laker Andrew Bynum.

Bynum has played a whopping 0 games this season and is averaging a huge 0 PPG and 0 RPG. Howard, while not playing to his full potential yet, at least has given it a go this season and attempted to help the team as best as he can. While many fans of the purple and gold didn’t want to see Bynum go for Howard, we have to be thankful that Howard is at least healthy enough to play this season. Who knows where The Lakers would be without Bynum or Howard this season, it’s hard to imagine they could be any worse than their current record shows but that would likely be the case.

The District Attorney of Philadelphia had something to say regarding Bynum’s recent lack of play via his personal Twitter account and (LarryBrownSports)

@JmitchInquirer how much is he getting paid? Do I need to launch a grand jury investigation?

From what the Philly DA is saying, it sounds like he wants to investigate Bynum for fraud for his lack of playing this season. Bynum is due 17 million this season and he hasn’t helped the 76ers one bit towards winning basketball games. Considering $17 million is due to Bynum for playing basketball, which he isn’t doing, I think District Attorney Williams has a legitimate case. I think it’s safe to say, no matter Los Angeles’ current situation, The Lakers received the better end of the deal, hands down.

@gonzoCSN my hands are full with murderers and rapist but I will let you know if I decide to investigate Bynum. Fans and Doug deserve more!

However, based on the last tweet it completely sounds like this will never happen. Granted I understand that the district attorney of a city such as Philadelphia has much more important things to worry about than an overpaid basketball player, he probably shouldn’t start the fire if he doesn’t intend to stoke it. We’ll see if anything comes out of this but don’t hold your breath.

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With the Lakers off to a poor start, trade rumors have begun to swirl around Kobe Bryant, leading many to speculate if he'll leave for greener pastures. Kobe puts those rumors to rest in his interview with Yahoo Sports.